Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: Off The Hook and Cafe Heavenly

I tried these spots on Friday. The first is near The Spanish River Grill in the Publix shopping area off A1A. The second is near the drawbridge on Flagler Ave.

Off The Hook - I first noticed this seafood restaurant when I found Spanish River. It seemed kind of inauthentic, so, I put it off until now. I will say that I still think the vibe is kind of manufactured. It seems like a chain. Some people are placed at ease by that kind of clean familiarity. I'm not one of them. I had a mahi Puffy Fish Tacos with fries for what I think was $12. I say "think" because I didn't get a bill. I opined (when asked) that I didn't think the fish was fresh (fishy tasting) and they comped the meal. I really wasn't looking for that (you know I just have a big mouth and a penchant for using verbal exchanges for more than social bonding), but, it is good to know that they take their reputation seriously and cultivate it with more than lip service. Then again, maybe they knew this batch of mahi should have found its way into a wastebasket and they really didn't lose anything in the bargain. I will argue that this may have been more a case of a rogue fillet than a financial decision. Perhaps a sourcing or storage problem. I am inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt based on the totality of the service. And it wasn't "piss out of your ass hours later" fishy. The portion size was large (two tail sections) and otherwise cooked well. The fries were good. The salsa was cold and tasteless. They even offered a to go soda that I should have accepted. The place seats about 90. It is clean. It looks like a Tommy Bahama's shirt. Service was good. The menu was a tad ordinary. All in all - ordinary. But, that seems to be the sweet spot for Joe Sixpack (a six pack of Mic Ultra of course).

Cafe Heavenly - This place has been tormenting me since I saw the sign for its lobster rolls last Fall. I know the odds are 1 in 10 for getting a decent/inexpensive lobster roll (1 in 30 in Florida), but, I hoped that they could stand up to the scrutiny. They could not. Here is the problem in a nutshell. Most places fail because they use lobster than has been emaciated from it's time in captivity. Plus they boil instead of steaming (robs them of any sweetness). Side bar - I mean how retarded are people (especially people whom have grown up around the sea) that they don't get that boiling sucks as a cooking method. It even sucks for vegetables and meat. How does no one get that it should be left to the Russians and Germans.They are too miserable to notice they difference.  I see cooking shows and pro's are boiling their seafood. I want to strangle them. End of side bar. Then the "boils" are too far in between. Then they only use the shit parts of the lobster. I won't even get into the guys who use frozen parts. Heavenly gave me three, limp, small, tasteless pincher claws. They didn't even mix in the mayo or cut up the claws. Some say the pinchers are sweeter than the "crushing" claw. Not if you boil it and don't trim the "fingers". Then it's just the least meaty part of the lobster with bitter ends. Plus they had the audacity to charge $19 for this junior version (regular = $23). You know how I know the price is obscene? I saw a $5 off coupon for the "Jr" in a local magazine. That means they can take an extra $5 off and still not blink at the profit margin. This is a $10 lobster roll at best. And that means that you should skip it and order something else that might actually be good. They serve some other seafood, but, it is overpriced too for a place with zero allure. It is just a deli looking place that seem to be two places next to each other. They also serve pizza and the way they do the signage it looks like two different locations. The pizza parlor looked promising. Wood fire. They start at $11 for individuals, but, go up to $24 for a lobster pizza. The gelato looked good. If I had to guess, the place is run by some goombas from Long Island or NE. You realize the cost of living is lower down here, right? This isn't even Jupiter Florida. They are the only ones who think they can do both seafood and pizza. They also serve flatbreads and sandwiches in many forms. And smoothies. I found it be too much of a joint for these price points. Either pony up and get a real location with a paved driveway and adequate seating or pass some of that saved coin back to your customers. I can only say, first hand, that your lobster rolls suck (and the wine selection). The rest may be good (even great), but, $13 for a panini? $17 for one crab cake? That shitty Caesar salad side doesn't balance out. Drop those prices or improve the non-culinary elements of you endeavor. I'd ignore their food truck too.

Makis Place, Winter Park

I grabbed some hand rolls to go at this new (two months) maki (rolled sushi) place near the BurgerFi on the corner of Park Ave near Rollins College. It's an interesting concept. It's a chain from Brazil (run by a Brazilian guy) that serves a Brazilian brand of sushi. I though that sounded strange and stupid, but, it was damn good. I've been exposed to alot of Brazilian twists since moving down here. I've experienced: Brazilian rice bowls, potatoes, burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, Middle Eastern food, pizzas, etc. I though I could draw at line at sushi. Who even knew they ate sushi? Let alone enough of it to begin tinkering with it. I had a Cameroon (salmon, peanuts and some kind of fermented mini shrimp in a Thai sauce) for $7 (actually $6 if you do the two for $12 option - do this). A salmon with cooked mushrooms and cream cheese for $7. A California with mango for $5. All were great. The rice sucked. It was pasty, but, they can fix that. Probably just need to rinse the rice before steaming or make less at one time. They are all just mind expanders. A whole new level of sushi. You could probably expel the salmon (really good and fatty) and still have a flavor sensation. Even cc (just a tad served in sprinklings) and mushrooms work. They also "peeled/shredded" the crab in the CR. A slight touch, but, much better than leaving it as that stick it's molded into. At least I could have pretended it wasn't some crap fish colored and flavored into looking like King crab. A lot of these rolls came in their own sauce. You didn't need soy and wasabi. They also filled them down to the bottom of the cone. It wasn't a rice cone with some toppings to fool you. This is also a little thing, but, the packaging they wrapped it in and even the chop sticks were quality. These little touches tell you alot about a place and its owner. They also serve cut rolls and sashimi. I think they had other stuff, but, I forgot.  I saw some guy's' sashimi platter on the way out and it looked fresh. The tuna I saw in the "case" looked a little pale. In any event, it is much better quality than I expected from a fast casual place. Almost, if not at, "real" sushi restaurant quality. The place seats about forty. It looks hip. The staff was personable. If I went to Rollins I would be here all the time (especially if I was a Grad Student). And not just because it is so close. If I worked nearby, this would be my take out three times a week. I couldn't understand why someone would open a maki place right across from a very good sushi restaurant (in a spot that no sushi place has survived in for long), but, now I get the logic. It isn't that it is less of a hassle or cheaper. It is the Brazilian twist. They have to play that up and hope that enough people are curious enough to expand their sushi vocabulary. It's also good for take home too. If I was giving odds, I think I'd rather have the Maki niche than the Umi niche.

Park Station, Winter Park

I had lunch at this American restaurant on Park Ave on Sunday. It replaces a French place that closed down about a year ago which replaced.... It is run by the people who ran the now shuttered Nopa. I didn't love Nopa. I thought it was a little unrefined for Winter Park and its own pretensions. Park Station is much more in tune with both of those. It looks sharp. They added a new bar backdrop (lighted and yellow) and either added or overlaid the bar/dining room divider with a nicely crafted, etched wood shell. They also added some chandeliers made of steel pipe, old fashioned light bulbs and framed photos of old coastal Florida. I would have hidden the tacky stucco facade on the far wall. It was an eyesore and poorly crafted when it was put in by previous ownership. I think it was an Italian theme then. The bar seats about ten. It had some boozy divorcees and couples watching football. The front dining area is mostly two seaters (a blessing for lonely guys like me and I think a smarter choice - you can always push two tables together but you can't pry them apart), There are about three on the bar side (a little crowded) and six on the other side of the "wall". The back has some four seaters and I believe the have some tables in the enclosed area out the back. They have around six tables outside as well. The tables and chairs are new and nice.  It was about half full at lunch. I was looking for another place, but, I forgot the name and I hid here when it started drizzling. The menu is about $5 too high on every item and the apps are all entree priced. I had ribs with truffle fries and a kale salad because that and the eggs benedict were the only things at normal price points. The ribs (5) were good. A tad dry. Probably on their third day. It's so weird, I'm getting better ribs at restaurants than at bbq places lately. They must have been rubbed in black pepper (a slow, back end burn) and maybe coriander. The sauce was heavy and sweet. Not bad. The fries thankfully avoided a wash in that chemical concotion they misrepresent as truffle oil. One area had a puddle of it and the rest were high and dry. The kale salad was more of a slaw and had little discernible kale. It was more cabbage. Some cute little guys that looked like brussel sprouts among the melange. Good. The meal cost $16.50. They jammed me for $3 on a soda. The menu (L and D) has flatbreads and breakfast stuff on the lunch menu. A burger is near $16. More substantial stuff at dinner. It gets up into the thirties. I looked at the menu at Bistro 310 down the street and they are a tad cheaper. A tad less enthralling too. And much less selection (alot of pasta). They kept their wine focus too. It's mainly a California-centric (ie $50 - $10 Cabs) selection, but, they show some diversity. Most wines by the glass are at the price the get at retail for the bottle and the bottles are around a 3X mark up. They offer up a small craft beer selection too. I didn't see any hard stuff. I wasn't expecting to try this place out (you sort of have to know it exists first), but, I'm not sad I did. I think it is a major improvement from Nopa, and if they can tinker with the pricing, it will be there for a while. It has been open for under a month (I think). Service was good.

PSA - UCF Football Coaching Recommendations

Just throwing out some names so we can finally be done with that denture whistling, gin nosed AD. I appreciate what he has accomplished, but, come on - he's past his due date. He'll even admit to it. How about Al Golden or Doug Marrone (Jaguars) or Charlie Strong? They all have Florida ties and though they will probably prove unworthy of their current employment, they may take this job. It's not really a top tier job and could be a good fit for a coach on the rebound. They are good coaches too. Just coaching idiots. Maybe Gus Bradley or Lovie Smith will be so tarnished when they get canned that they would apply. Maybe Joe Philbin for AD? He looks like the empty suit technocrat they like to make an AD.

I also want to thank whatever news station canned Larry Ridley. Who had iller fitting suits or a more pompous tag line. You aren't hard. You are a smurf. Just say "we will be back after this break" like a normal person. Not someone "compensating". And can that guy Ping get caps for his grounded down molars and pluck that Seh girl's eyebrows properly. Marker them in if you have to. And report some SPORTS. It's like a talk show. I don't give a crap about emails, predictions or his brat's intramural bench warming. He hardly show the results of any games. And never anything national. Can we at least get a scroll?

Pop Thai, Mills Ave.

I had dinner at this Thai restaurant on Mills Ave (old Yum-Mi Sandwich) on Friday. Can I first say that I'm sooooooooooooo bored with Thai (and Vietnamese) cuisine. It was a refreshing change from greasy Asian fare when it first started gaining popularity twenty years ago (at least in NYC). Now it reminds me of twentieth century Mexican. The same boring "greatest hits" dishes on every menu. Mexican evolved. I think it is high time the Thai community did as well. Challenge us to more than satay, tom yum and curry. I TRIED to support "the struggle" by ordering the most expensive/ambitious dish they had instead of succumbing to thrift and getting a reliable chicken curry. Big mistake. They pulled the Asian graft on me. That is subbing out the listed "glorified" fish for shit. In this case it was snapper for either talapia or swai. What has a silver skin with a black herring bone pattern? I thought it must be talapia because it was also on the menu. But, I'm not sure that it has that skin. What was worse is that whatever it was, it evinced freezer burn. They fried it to hide the evidence, but, I peeled off the crust. I don't love the fact that the recipe calls for frying what is a delicate tasty filet if it is what it is purported to be and then placing it in a curry bath. The dish also came with some acceptable shrimp (6). Would it kill you to butterfly them? You made a flower out of a carrot. I think you can beautify the co-star of the dish. It had some carrot and zucchini in it for color. I believe the curry (flavorful) was a green curry though it had a white color. The rice (nice heart shape pile) was over cooked. I think the dish was called Thai Delight and cost $20. They gave me an order of cream cheese "rangoon" (fried wonton) for free. I'm appreciative and it was good, but, I don't get how this dish came into being. Who doesn't think cream cheese when they thing of the jungle. Let's keep cream cheese to bagels and places with refrigeration please. The place looks nice. It has a grey/black color scheme. The furniture is new. It's modern luxe. It seats about sixty. There were around five tables seated at dinner. They were playing dance/lounge music. Service was quick and good. My real problem with place (aside from not getting what I was promised) is that we don't need another "me too" Thai place. Adding some "Pop" to it doesn't break through. They do nothing (or not enough) unique. There is no reason to seek this out. Maybe if you live near by. I believe they have been open for two weeks.

Ten10 Brewing Co, Mills Ave

I went to this brewery/eatery at 1010 Virginia (just off Mills across from the supermarket/condo and before Santiago's) on Friday night after work. It has been open for two months (although they said they were having a grand opening on 10/10. It's a first rate brewery. I tried a flight ($8) of four of their lighter beers and everyone was robust and flavorful. They have around ten beers on tap. The place looks great. Factory chic. They have a bar area and tables. Parking in the back. It seats around fifty. There were probably twenty people there at 6 pm. Good addition.

Linda's Winter Park Diner, Winter Park - Closed

I had a turkey club for lunch at this diner next to 4 Rivers (Fairbanks) on Tuesday. It cost $8. It was fine. It came with crisp fries. The T and L were fresh. The turkey seemed better than that that you get at Subway, etc. My buddy had an egg omelet. He likes the place. He says it has been there for 25+ years. It has the usual menu. large. It seats about 60. It has two rooms. The inside is all white. It's old. They hang sketches of famous, old celebs on the wall. It was full. Parking is limited. They only take cash. Linda is still in charge.

Filomena's Pizzeria, Lake Mary

I grabbed a slice at this "Brooklyn Style" Italian restaurant on Sunday. It cost $2. It was a large thick slice that was slightly under cooked (flour taste and raw in spots). That may have been because they pulled it early because I was waiting or they pull the pie a little early that is to be reheated as slices. It was lacking in cheese coverage as well. They have four pizza sizes. They serve chicken, beef, veal, pasta, stromboli, calzones, subs, burgers, etc. I hope they can handle the breadth and things aren't frozen. A menu this long usually indicates the opposite. It's a clean place.It seats about 60. It has been in these hands for two years. I think I've been here for two other ownerships. I noticed I hadn't reviewed it when I went the The European Bakery a few weeks back. It's on 17-92 near the turn off for SSC. My guess is that it is neither great nor terrible. Service was polite.

The "Dam" Smoker, Eustis

Even though this place is yards away (on the other side of 19) from Mason Jar, they say it's in Eustis. It's a bbq joint. They have been open for either 8 or 12 years. They don't seem to have learned much (at least about beef) in that time. I had a sliced beef sandwich that they said was brisket, but, was probably a roast on Sunday. It was dry. Had little smoke flavor and no ring. It was grey. It had no fat. It was cut too thin. Total fail. It cost $6. They also had pulled pork and ribs. Maybe they do a better job with those. It looks like a promising bbq shed. It has an outside patio and an inside area. They had a blue grass band playing at 2pm. I saw it this summer passing by. It stuck in my mind. I wish it hadn't.

Mason Jar, Umitilla

I had lunch at this lets call it white soul food restaurant on Sunday. It's on SR 19 in between Eustis and Umitilla. I had an open faced roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes because I was trying to outrun the heartburn I had experienced over the last few days and nothing else seemed that appetizing or benign to my hung over body. Unfortunately, I missed breakfast hours. The cost of the dandified shit on a shingle was $9. It wasn't bad. Lots of beef. Not overcooked. The potatoes and gravy (not salty) were good. I will never get the inclusion of sliced white bread that these places serve. It was part of the dish. Sunday was all you can eat fried chicken day. It looked good. It's that kind of menu. Old school classics. It seats about 60. It was packed with people who look like they vote Huckabee. It reminded me of some scary "meet the inbred (?) parents" introductory meals with soon to be discarded girl friends. The decor is old lady, tag sale bric a brac. Service was good. In case you are wondering why the hell I went here - it was in a regional review done by the Sentinel a while back and my day at the beach got rained out. I saw it on a trip last Spring to find the setting for the book The Yearling. I don't think you have to make a special slog up there for it. It isn't that special.

Pub Crawl - Dowtown: The Shisha Bowl, Side Bar and Crow Bar

I went to these bars on Saturday night.

9:30- 10pm: Shisha Bowl - They replace the Therapy Bar in that (is it still KEL) building on E. Washington. It's craft beer, some shit wine and hookahs now. Some live music. It looks good. A psychedelic rock feel to the art. The staff was nice. I think (hell I saw them) they get high on their own supply. I hate smoke, so, I'll never get the appeal. Plus can you imagine sake bars proliferating during WWII. But, these kids will invite any carcinogen (that is a metaphor) into their system. Maybe they just don't see the optics of it. They are supposed to be socially tone deaf. Maybe they don't see the insensitivity of it. Maybe they have just been so programmed to self hate that they have no free will. Maybe they are just addicted to smoking. But why ape Arabic customs when you have things like E-cigs? Any way. If you want to suck a metaphorical Arab cock then you have been given an oasis in Downtown.

10pm-1am: Side Bar - I think this place was called Vixen. It's the one that took bullets a few months ago. It looks good now. A great mural up front. They made a slightly roomier. I was just going to try it, but, they had a cute bartender and my alma mater's game came on the tv. The DJ was also good. Many people came and went. Alot of Latins, but, a fair amount of whitey's. No antagonism. I think they said it has been open for two weeks.

1-1:30am: Crow Bar - I went back to see how they were doing. Doing well. Nice crowd. A DJ. Still had all the original staff plus a few more.

Vincenzo, I Drive

I had dinner at this Italian restaurant in that strip mall with Charley's and the bowling alley (near the ferris wheel) on Friday. It was what I expected. An overpriced, under performing imitation of an authentic Italian experience. The problems started with parking. There was none. All the restaurants in this area cordon off sections of the lot for their personal use. And there is no way I'm trusting my vehicle with the idiot valets. Then the bitchy hostess pretended like there was only bar seating available when that was not the case and then gave me a quasi-bar area seating after all. Then the kitchen nightmares started. I kind of just wanted small portions of excellent food and they gave large portions of mishandled food. I had chinghalle (they spell in cinghale) bruschetta for $12. They served four "toasts" of the saltiest pulled pork ever created. The pork (doubt it was real wild boar) was dry and the sauce was reduced too far. They topped it with a dollop of what I assume was burrata. It didn't pair well and was sour. I have never experienced spoiled cheese before. I hope they aren't making it themselves and screwing it up. I also hope it's not because they don't throw stuff out.  I had the salmon penne ala vodka for the entree. It was $20. The salmon was very fishy. I will give them a break and blame it on the ham handed fish mongering and not the freshness of their supply (because the salmon was firm). They didn't carve off the grey/brown parts of the salmon and its rankness polluted the dish. The vodka sauce was also bisquey (they have this on the menu and couldn't possible sub it into this dish right?) tasting. A separate sea taste from the fish. The penne was well cooked and plentiful. But, it is a terrible pairing. The first and last time I order that. Salmon is way too funky for this sauce. This dish was also saltier than it needed to be. I doubt anyone is tasting the food before it comes out. Service was ok considering they left it up to the bartender. Class move. The place seats about eighty. The have a separate dining room that doubles that capacity. I suppose it is for private affairs. The look is kind of sterile. I usually hate the pack rat feel of most Italian places, but, this place only has the main components of furniture and no decolletage. It's new and modern. I'd guess the furnishings were from a mass market supplier. The menu tries to be progressive. prices are all over the places. You can pay $38 for fish and $10 for lasagna. Apps border entree pricing. The crowd was very ordinary and some people looked they just came from a theme park. I only went here because I hadn't before and it needed to be got. That and this stupid Cowgirls bar nearby has to be reviewed and they are about three months passed due and still not open so that didn't happen. I don't recommend it. It's a me too and that me too is some jerky second generation Italian family from Jersey or Vegas who thinks they cook like they do in Bologna. I believe they have been around for two years. Oh yeah, they gouge on drinks. $3.50 for a soda. Wine would have made the check insupportable.

Ararat, I Drive - Closedf

This is a Eastern European Deli and Restaurant. It is about three store fronts away from Ana's in that strip mall on Universal Dr. I also saw this place this summer. I grabbed a ground beef pirozhki and some Syrniki (pancakes stuffed with cheese) to go from the restaurant and some cheese from the market. The pirozhki cost a mere $2 and was fresh. The pastry was tastier than the plentiful meat filling. The pancakes (4 coaster sized) cost $7. I don't get how this is an appetizer, but, they were well made and tasty. Just a hint of a sour cream/cream cheese like filling in a sweet, corn (?) batter. They were yellow so you tell me.  They may have been better eaten cold. The menu has alot of cutlets, kebabs, etc. A Cornish hen dish seemed intriguing. Stroke Me Off. The deli may have the best East European selection in town. Things like: quarter smoked chicken, sausages, caviar, tongue, cheese beer, pickled everything, etc. I think the ownership is Russian. The staff seemed to be from a variety of places. There are probably under ten of these places in CF. This may be the best. I'd love to come back for dinner. It seem like it would be a crazy place. The staff is full of hot blonds too if that appeals to you. And you don't have to drive to North Miami for it. It's a peculiar name. Ararat is a mountain in Turkey that borders Iran. I don't quite understand the nexus.

Ana's Kitchen, I Drive - Moved

I had lunch at this Brazilian restaurant in that strip mall near the Treasure Tavern (?) dinner theater. They say on Universal Blvd. I saw it this summer when I went to that sushi place. It's only open for lunch, so, I haven't had the chance. I showed up at 11:30 and it was a good thing I did. It pretty much filled up within five minutes of opening. It was packed when I first saw it too. It must be a hidden secret in the Brazilian community. The menu is smallish. Around ten dishes. I'm fairly certain it is changed often. It seemed way different than what I saw this summer. I had a Bifstek Acebolado (steak and onions) for $11.50. I didn't even want that, but, it had a fried egg on it so it was the closest thing to brunch. The steak (skirt?) was huge and cooked perfectly (with barely any gristle). Not rare because we all know that Cook's Country Kitchen told us that this cut need to be cooked ten to fifteen degrees warmer than a choicer cut. So the connective tissue can relax/release. The egg was a little overcooked if the yolk was meant to be a sauce. The caramelized onions were good. The white rice was plentiful. The beans were outrageous. I don't get what the Latin fascination is with white rice and beans, but, if these smoky beans (that caused no flatulence) were what everyone served then I would get it. The rest of the menu was meat oriented. It has been open for two years. It seats about thirty. The crowd was mainly Brazilian. A few gringos came and left when they saw the wait. They have cute, feminine art on the walls. A doll theme. It has a pastel color scheme. Clean. I thought this might be a diamond in the rough when I first saw it. I'm glad I went back to confirm. A step above the Brazilian buffet places on I Drive. Way more character. I believe there is an Ana and she came to ask me how my meal was.

Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana, Winter Springs - Closed

I had dinner at this Italian restaurant on Tuskawilla (near Red Bug Lake Rd) on Friday. I was at surprised at the experience I encountered. I thought it was going to be some bohunk type pizzeria with a name that evokes indomitable Tight Ends more than quality dining. It turns out that this is a rather snazzy offshoot of a Tampa restaurant. It espouses quality sourcing and time worn techniques. The space is vibrant. The far wall of the open kitchen (you feel like you are in a teaching kitchen) is all copper. Then there is a bar acting as a dividing line. And finally a black toned dining area that is the the least impressive part of the room. It must seat around forty in all. That kitchen dominates the room. I will say that they do a poor job of hiding the eye sores in the kitchen. I would put the spices in non-surplus plastic containers. I would hide the plastic glass containers. That sort of thing. I sat at the bar (because it was full) and had a prosciutto pizza for $15. For all the bluster about their "process", I found it just ok. It was close on the cook time, but, lacked a crunch. The "prosciutto" would probably not qualify as such under Italian law. It was not aged long enough. Some kind of pre-sliced, slightly aged American impostor if I had to guess. I could live with the thrift if it didn't water down my pizza and turn the dough to paste. Too much water content! They topped it with flor di latte. I'm not sure if I've seen that appellation on cheese before. It was good. They make most of their pizzas with this fresh mozzarella like cheese. The sauce was just San Marzanos. The pizza oven was legit. They serve some pasta, but, it is mostly pizza. Parking is difficult as they share it with a Graffiti Junction. Service was good. I applaud the dedication to getting it right (zero flour, etc). I just wish it applied to all the components. I probably stumbled upon their one "accommodation" pizza. I'll presume they do the rest without abandoning their mantra. I'd encourage you to go. This level of pizza-ing isn't as rare as it used to be, but, it still needs to be acknowledged when it happens.

PSA - Complaints Tip

The web site www.elliott.org is great. I've used it twice (got the idea from an article in The Sentinel) to get the email addresses for rental car executives (I'm talking the CEOs) and they have fixed issues that I have had with their companies in one email exchange. Issues that I was getting the run around with from their minions on. I assume they have the emails for alot of companies. You can probably type the address and then backslash the company you have an issue with and get a result. I've always had that name so I haven't looked to see if they have a directory or search feature.

NSB Yu-Mi Sushi Cafe, New Smyrna Beach

I grabbed some sushi to go on my way out of town on Friday. This place is in the Publix shopping center near the Spanish River Grill (off the main road in). I had some crispy but not sweet conch for $4. An order of ugly looking salmon (pale, no fat) for $4. And an order of baby octopus that hadn't thawed yet. They did give you two octopi per order though. The rice was properly prepared. They serve a big portion of rice on each piece. The place looks nice and modern and clean. I think they are just open for dinner at 5pm. I was there right at opening so it wasn't very full. They also do teryaki, etc.

Barracuda's Bar and Grille, New Smyrna Beach

I grabbed a few beers at this spot just off Flagler Dr (the main street) on Friday. They have your typical sports bar menu. It was nicer inside than I expected. The people were nice. It's across the parking lot from the ocean. It has an e at the end of Grill, so  you know they are serious.

Gnarly Surf Bar, New Smyrna Beach

I grabbed lunch at this place near the draw bridge on Flagler Dr on Friday. I originally saw it when I went to The Grille at Riverview. It's a little house with a surfing vibe. I had a Mahi BLT for $12. It was surprisingly good. Big portion. I had to split the sandwich into two open face ones. Fresh, thick Mahi. Crisp Bacon. Two nicely fried slices of green tomato. Cress. A nice bun. A mayo based dressing. The sole problem was that it (fish) was a bit over spiced with blackening seasoning. It came with "skin on" fries. I hate these because they never cook evenly. The small ones get eviscerated and the big ones are limp. That happened here. The "skin" taste also doesn't pair well with fish. The soda was served in a small glass. However, they gave me a to go cup without prodding. The menu is sandwich/burger centric. They toss in some seafood. They have been open for four years. It seats around twenty inside and thirty outside. There were three other tables dining. They decorate the place with surfboards and cute art. It's cleaner than most places like this. Service was good.

Fred's Market, Lake Mary - Closed

I went to this buffet restaurant on Wednesday for lunch. It is on the northeast side of the I4 exit in Lake Mary. It used to be a Macaroni Grill. I have been waiting all summer for it to open. I thought it was going to be a yuppified Southern place with a gourmet market from what I had read about it. It's really just a Cracker Barrel that isn't a la carte. It looks ok inside. They did some thrifty redecorating. Quotes on the walls, the splashes of wood that seem to be a decorating requirement for urban bbq/southern restaurants and some blown up photos in frames. It seats about 90. Wood tables and booths. There was a Cracker Barrel like crowd waiting outside to be seated at one pm. They have been open for two weeks. I think Robert's last name is Johnson (in all the photos) and he has around five of these places in Florida and the first was in Plant City. It's that type of place. Lots of fattening, old southern food for people about to have their feet amputated. I tried a little of a lot for you people and here is the run down: Pot Roast - ok but everyone scooped out the meat, fried chicken - ok, fried catfish - ok, mashed potatoes - good, grits - ok, fried green tomatoes - good, corn bread - bad - really salty skillet style, cheese biscuit - good, potato salad - ok, Waldorf salad - ok, mushroom salad - ok, pulled pork - first batch was dry and terrible - second batch they brought out was good/fresh, lasagna - terrible - tasteless and overcooked, mac and cheese - bad - they just melted oily processed cheese on overcooked macaroni, pecan pie - poor. They let you have unlimited trip for $11.49. One trip to all bars is around $10. It is cheaper for one trip to the salad bar, etc. The specials change every day. There is overlap. Monday is rib day. That has to be a zoo. The things I passed on were stewed veggies, broiled talapia, pies, soups and most of the salad bar.  I think a soda was over $2. They use small glasses, but, refills are free. They have free (used) newspapers up front. Service was good. If I went back, I would just do the salad bar. I must have gained five pounds on this visit. I'd have preferred a Coop type place. The last thing I (and all of us) need is the pairing of unhealthy and unlimited. They will probably do well. It was still packed when I left and the parking lot was jammed when I went by the day before. There are enough undiscerning volume eaters in the area. The big losers in the area will be Jason's "Deli", Wilted Clit and Slob Heaveans.